Chiemelie Ezeobi and Sunday Ehigiator report that as the death of Sylvester Oromoni, a 12-year-old student of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, continues to ripple and generate conversations about bullying, his bereaved family and indeed Nigerians have embarked on a quest for justice
Your dreams are valid they say but for 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni, his never did materialise despite best efforts by his parents to send him to a prestigious school in Lagos to lay the pathway to realise such laudable dreams. All he wanted to be was a pilot! That was all!
He wanted to soar the skies like the bird and communicate with the winds as they guide his wings to fly. His dreams were pretty valid until his life was snuffed out in a gruesome manner.
Sylvester was a student of Dowen College in Lekki Lagos. He was sent to the school from their Warri, Delta State base, without misgivings given that his four other siblings had schooled there including his immediate elder sister who is still a student there. No one ever envisaged his own would be different. He died!
Cut in His Prime
For Sylvester, his dream to be a pilot came to a screeching halt on December 1, 2021 when he gave up the ghost after days of acute pains and agony.
Shedding light on what happened, the bereaved father, Mr. Sylvester Oromoni Snr. said the school called on November 21 to notify them that their son was in the school clinic, injured. Since they were all in Warri, they sent a family friend to pick him up and take him to the hospital.
Prior to the guardian visiting the school, they weren’t necessarily worried as they all thought it was something minor. But when the man got there, he informed them that from the nature of the injury, it was doubtful if injuries sustained were from football as the school claimed.
Sylvester couldn’t stand because his waist was bent and swollen along with one side of his belly and his mouth was black. To ascertain things, the eldest son of the family, who had flown in from London to Warri, flew to Lagos and on sighting his younger brother, raised an alarm.
Treatment commenced immediately and it was one of such days that Sylvester, who could only manage one hour sleep when sedated, opened up and revealed that he neither played ball nor tripped, rather five boys barged into his room, put off the lights, and assaulted him.
They reportedly beat him and even stepped on his ribs continuously. They also threatened to kill him or any of the junior students all if they spoke of what happened. In fact, they were the ones that said he must claim he injured while playing football, a claim they felt would fly given his love for all things soccer.
The bereaved father said before he could return to Warri towards facilitating his transfer to the teaching hospital, he died. But for the young lad who loved playing soccer and PS5 games, the days preceding his death were filled with agony and pain as he writhed endlessly.
The bereaved father said they took him to the hospital where blood tests and an X-ray were conducted and he also underwent typhoid/malaria treatments but his lips started peeling, adding that he suffered liver enlargement due to congealed blood.
Culprits
While the grief was still raw, cousin to the deceased, one Perrison Oromoni, took to social media to call out the names of some students of the school whom he accused of being responsible for the harassment and the eventual death of Sylvester.
According to the cousin, the deceased had mentioned the names of five boys- four in senior secondary school two (SSS2) while one is in SSS1 (names withheld).
The family also alleged that the deceased was battered and brutalised because he reportedly refused to join their cult group. The culprits also allegedly fed him a liquid substance touted as “ chemical” for refusing to join the group.
The family said series of tests and X-rays conducted on him showed that he sustained internal injuries from beatings he received from the students.
Family Takes Case to Social Media
Save for Perrison, the matter wouldn’t have gone public. A heartbroken Perrison had narrated how his late cousin was allegedly battered on November 21 in school and he was picked up on the 27th by a guardian before he eventually died days later.
Despite his strong disposition, the father of the deceased, whom he named after himself, was heartbroken, not just by the death of his son, but the way and manner he died in a cruel way.
Lamenting that the school should be more concerned about going after the boys named as the assailants before death, he said they chose to issue a press release about the injuries sustained gotten from football. He challenged the school to provide those who allegedly played said football with the deceased- a challenge the school is yet to take.
Earlier Suspension
In one of the interviews where the father spoke, he said the suspects mentioned were also reported to the school last term when they bullied the deceased and collected all his foodstuff; clothes.
They had also told him to describe the sister’s privates and when he refused he was bullied.
According to the bereaved father, after the incident of bullying was reported to the school, his hostel was changed but the bullying persisted. He said they thought of changing school for him but later deferred it as the elder sister was still a student there.
School Reacts
Reacting to the allegations, the school issued a statement signed by the school principal, Adebisi Layiwola. The statement reads in part; “On the 21st day of November 2021, one of the hostel parents reported to the management that the young boy was injured while playing football. The resident registered nurse immediately administered first aid on him and after he expressed relief, was released to return to his hostel room.
“He was in class on Monday 22nd day of November 2021, but during school hours one of his friends accompanied him to the Sick Bay where he complained of some pain in his hip. The doctor examined him and prescribed Ibuprofen for the pain, while the nurse massaged his leg, after which he felt a bit better.”
The statement claims that in accordance with the school’s policy, “the resident doctor called the deceased’s mother reporting the incident and requesting that she should come for him so that he could get further medical attention”.
“The mother, however, said she was not in Lagos while she spoke and prayed with him on the phone and promised to send the guardian to pick him up immediately for further medical attention.
“When the guardian failed to show up, the next day on the 23rd of November 2021, the doctor called the mother again and this time, she assured that his guardian would pick him from school.
“The guardian later showed up and took the deceased for X-ray, the result of which it said revealed that no part of the boy’s body was broken or injured”.
“The resident doctor also called the mother later in the week to check up on his progress but she informed the doctor that he was sleeping at the time. The Principal also spoke with the mother on the phone to enquire about his progress and she reported that he was having a massage and gave the phone to him to speak with the principal.
“It was therefore with a rude shock that it received the news of the student’s death and the accompanying allegations.”
Family Releases Evidence of Mishap
Angered by the press release and the continuous attribution of football as the cause of injury leading to death, the bereaved family released more visual evidence to back their claims.
Perrison, still on Twitter, shared some last minute videos of Sylvester before his demise, which showed the deceased in great distress. Aside the pain and agony he was going through, he had sore all over his mouth.
In the said video, the deceased could barely sit up or lie down. He kept crying as he writhed in pain. Perrison wrote, “he couldn’t raise a leg or an arm. He kept complaining about his throat and stomach. Said he was given something to drink. God help us. Will a boy in this state lie about what happened to him? Dowen College should tell us what happened to my cousin.”
Aborted Planned Protest
When the video surfaced online, the already boiling anger exacerbated to rage as many Nigerians planned to storm the school the next morning. Made aware of the plans, the bereaved family had called for peace.
Ministry of Education Visits School
With the hullabaloo generated by the case, officials of the office of the Education Quality Assurance unit of the Ministry of Education visited the school last Thursday and were conducted round the facilities to aid their assessment.
The delegation comprised top-level management of relevant ministries, departments and agencies of government and the police.
Indefinite Closure by LASG
Stepping in officially, the Lagos State government ordered the indefinite closure of Dowen College pending the outcome of an investigation into the death.
While calling for calm, the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, who announced the closure after a meeting with the school management and staff, said no effort will be spared in getting to the root of the incident.
School Moves Classes Online Despite Closure
In a move many have termed defiant, the school while acquiescing to the physical closure of the school, simply moved classes online. This was disclosed in a mail sent by the school to parents. The Lagos State government is yet to react on this.
A part of the mail read thus: “we wish to inform you that further to our meeting at the Ministry of Education the school will be shutting down all physical activities till further notice. All learning will move online in the interest of safety and transparency.”
Myriad of Controversies
Since the news broke, so many controversies have popped up. First the families of the accused boys were said to have gained access to the school as early as 5am to cart them away. Also, the bereaved family had also alleged that two of the five boys have been flown abroad immediately without recourse to investigation.
Also, almost all the social media handles of the school principal and staff mentioned have either been deleted or the comment section turned off. This was given the avalanche of curses written on the pages. The school has also turned off their comment section on Instagram.
In another development, the mother of one of the accused boys had in a leaked memo, warned the school not to involve her son in the matter.
Also, the press release issued by the school was deemed controversial given their insistence that the deceased sustained injuries on the football field and not by beating.
Independent Investigation by Nigerians
It’s often jocularly said on Twitter that Nigerians would give the FBI a run for their money any day. The teen’s death once again proved that joke true as Nigerians went digging for the background details of the accused boys. In less than two days, they had brought up information about the boys and their respective families.
Unanswered Questions
After the press release by the school and the subsequent videos showing Sylvester’s painful state before he died so many unanswered questions begging for answers popped up. Why were similar complaints about bullying not taken seriously? Where were the house masters when the said boys invaded the deceased’s corner of the dormitory and proceeded to stamp on him on the lungs repeatedly? Why was there no trust that the school system would protect him if he said the truth about his condition? Why was there no CCTV camera on the football premises? What kind of football would inflict such an injury on the promising young lad?
Delta Governor Steps In
Owing to the several tags for their governor to intervene, Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa reached out to the bereaved family. In a press release issued, the governor said: “I spoke to Mr. Sylvester Oromoni, the father of late Sylvester Oromoni Jr., the Dowen College student who unfortunately died under very controversial and unclear circumstances.
“During the call, I expressed my agreement with the decision of the Lagos State government to launch an investigation into the death of Sylvester, a native of Warri South LGA in Delta State.
“As a government that places priority on the lives of our citizens within and outside the state, we are determined to pursue this case to the end. The matter must be investigated, perpetrators apprehended, punished, and made an example of, to serve as a very strong deterrence against future occurrences.
“As we continue to watch this case closely, we extend our prayers and support to the Oromoni family. As they mourn the loss of their young son, I pray that Almighty God gives them the strength that they need at this difficult time Amen.”
Quest for Justice
With the hashtag JusticeForSylvester trending for days unending, the clarion call for all is that he gets justice and the culprits prosecuted. Aside the bereaved family, the gruesome death of the teen had expectedly drawn reactions from all, with most calling for accountability and prosecution of those culpable. From government organisations to civil society organisations, celebrities, politicians and even the common Nigerian had one cry- justice.
Former Presidential elections candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar said: ” We shall be failing in our duties as parents/guardians, administrators, security agencies and government if we do not get to the bottom of the case of late Sylvester Oromoni. It is beholden upon us to enthrone a safe environment in our schools.”
Lending their voice to Mirabel Centre in a post on their Instagram page wrote, “Media reports that the Lagos State Government has shut down Dowen College indefinitely. That’s a good first step, but it cannot be allowed to end there. We must continue, with this same deep energy, to demand justice for a child who still had his entire life ahead of him.”
In the same vein, Amnesty International wrote ”
December (…sic) 4, 2021, Sylvester Oromoni would have been celebrating his birthday. The Lagos State authorities must investigate the incidents leading to Sylvester’s death and ensure no child goes through what he endured. Schools must be places of safety.”
Online Petition Garners Votes
An online petition started on Change.org has already garnered 66, 678 votes- just a few thousand votes away from the required 75,000 votes to make it one of the top signed voted.
Started by Irede Foundation, they asked questions like “did the school do enough to protect Sylvester; how were the injuries that led to his death sustained; and was the school negligent in protecting its students?”
While stating that there are so many questions and not enough answers, they charged the police “to act immediately and investigate the circumstances and events that led to his death. We’re asking the Lagos Commissioner for Education, Folashade Adefisayo and officials of the Lagos State Universal Education Board, and the Federal Ministry of Education to probe allegations of bullying and negligence?
“We’re asking for a thorough and transparent investigation and prosecution of those found to be culpable in this tragic incident. Social protection is particularly important for children, in view of this crime, we also throw in our concern for children with disabilities to ensure the protection of children is inclusive of them. Justice must be served and seen to be served for 12 year old Sylvester and his family.”
Conversations on Boarding
One thing that this unfortunate incident dredged up was ills perpetuated in boarding houses.
Instances abound of students who were either molested, bullied and even tortured by fellow students all in the name of keeping up with the boarding school tradition of toughening them up. Also recorded are cases whereby the teacher molest the students under their care.
For many, Sylvester’s death has reopened the conversations on failing school structures and boarding facilities, as well as cases of children who are being bullied daily but are unable to speak out.
But Mirabel Centre would rather not tow that line of thought. According to them, “this conversation is not about boarding school versus day school and which one is better or worse. Reducing such a tragic occurrence to that debate waters down this very serious situation that claimed the life of a child.
“This is about abuse. And the ways our systems and society continue to fail Nigerian children. When there is no accountability, we tell other abusers that they can commit crimes and also get away with it.”
Like Sylvester, Like Keren, Others
Another conversation that has stirred up with Sylvester’s death was that of 14-year old Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akpagher, a student of Premier Academy, Lugbe, Abuja. THISDAY had done a story on her death in June this year. Headlined “Who Raped Keren, Leading to her Death”.
She was allegedly raped in her school – a situation that eventually led to her death. Her mother,
Mrs Vivien Akpagher, who is still on a quest for justice many months later, said her daughter was sexually assaulted and later died of complications as a result of a condom left in her private part.
According to her, Keren slipped into depression when she came back home and eventually died few days later in the hospital. She was picked up by her mother on June 22, 2021 because she was sick. At the hospital, it was discovered that she had been raped, condom left in her vagina, which had caused an infection that resulted to sepsis and trauma that led to her demise.
Adjudged to be godly, intelligent and a reserved girl, a fact attested to by the management of the school, the deceased, before her death, had marked a portion in her Bible- “For what I have dreaded has come upon me, And what I have feared has befallen me. “I have had no peace, no quiet, no rest, but trouble keeps coming”. This text was taken from Job 3 vs 25, 26.
With her death, her dream of becoming a nurse to nurture the sick ended with her, leaving her family broken hearted and the society at large bereft of one that might have made a difference.
Posthumous Birthday and a Promise Kept
In an interview that surfaced online, the deceased’s father was quoted as saying; “My son suffered. His birthday is next tomorrow (Dec 4). I’ll celebrate it. I’ll have a cake baked. I’ll cut it on his behalf”.
On December 4, he kept to his promise- in fact, the whole family did. In between trying to maintain a stoic mein and honouring the memory of their peace loving son, the family cut his birthday cake (a pilot’s cake with an aircraft to boot) while singing.
The video which surfaced online broke a million hearts and left many teary. It also wound up many emotions which intensified
Lagos Police Commence Investigation
Given the public outcry that has refused to die down, the Lagos State Police Command said it was commenced investigation even though the family was yet to formally report to any division.
The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, was said to have initially directed the Divisional Police Officer, Maroko Division under whose jurisdiction the place of incident was, to immediately visit the school to carry out initial investigation into the incident.
According to the state Spokesman, Adekunle Ajisebutu, the DPO had immediately commenced investigation before the CP moved the case to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, given the severity of the case.
In a statement made available to THISDAY, the CP said: “Members of the public, particularly the deceased’s bereaved parents, friends and relatives, are assured that the Lagos State Police Command has deployed all available human and material resources at its disposal to unravel the circumstances surrounding the sad and unfortunate incident.
“While diligent investigation is ongoing, members of the public are advised against taking the law into their own hands. They are also enjoined to refrain from comments that could jeopardise investigation.”
While commiserating with the bereaved family, the CP equally assured that the outcome of police investigation would be made public in due course.
